Gunner&#39;s turret for aircraft



April 20, 1948. J. G. VILLEPIGUE GUNNERS TURRET FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Feb.21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y N r QN M a h I. a N 0W M .UN QWMJ M 90 Y R rwk 8 HIHIIA ll? li w. Q a Q6.. mum .NN Mfr ".1 \m w xv Wm,

p 1948' J. G. VILLEPIGUE GUNNER'S TURRET FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Feb. 21,1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 20, 1948 2,439,878 GUNNERS TURRETFOR AIRCRAFT Julius G. Villeplgue, In

North American Aviation, Inc., Inglewood,

glewood,

Calm, assignor Calm, a corporation of Delaware Application February 21,1944, Serial No. 523,230 8 Claims. (01. 89-375) This invention relatesto gunners turrets for aircraft and has as its general object to providean improved turret mechanism adaptable particularly for the nose of amilitary plane.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a turretarrangement which permits the gunner to have maximum target visibility.To this end, the invention provides an arrangement in which the gunnermay operate in a kneeling position, with his head and the upper portionof his body extended in the direction of fire, and with his eyespositioned well forward of the center of the turret.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turret that afiords adouble armored protection for the gunner.

Another object is to provide a turret arrangement in which the gunnermay have direct visibility through a window at the outermost extremityof the turret, and in which such window may be of armor glass andarranged to form the outer extremity of an armored cavity inside theturret, in which body may be accommodated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turret,

der local control of the gunner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a turret incorporatingnovel mechanism for braction. To this end, the invention provides anarrangement wherein the turret is mounted for oscillation in elevationon a horizontal axis with reference to a, yoke which in turn is mountedfor arrangement extending rearwardly and cooperating, with rollingcontact, with an arouate track carried by a fixed portion of thefuselage.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

Fig. l is a plan view, in horizontal section, of a turret mechanismembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same, taken on theline ltl of Fig. 3.

As an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, I haveshown in the drawn shaft l8, and thus the upper portion of the gunnersaxial with ings a turret arrangement in the nose portion of a militaryairplane, indicated generally at Ill. The turret parti-spherical shape,is

a bracket 23. To the yoke I6 is secured a tripod brace 22, which extendsrearwardly and carries a series of rollers 24. The rollers 24 cooperatewith an arcuate track 26 which is mounted in a horizontal plane in thenose portion l0, being anchored to one of the bows 28 thereof. The track26 is formed on an arc of a circle concentric with the vertical axis ofthe permits the yoke 86 to rotate about the vertical gun recoil, whichthe cylinder 32 to the tripod 22.

The turret 82 includes the parti-spherlcal shell portion 30 which is oflight armor-plate construction, and a cylinder 32, also of armor plate,which is, in the normal turret position shown, co-

the longitudinal axis of the fuselage it. The forward end of thecylinder 32 is secured to the shell 3E, and an intermediate regionthereof The upper and lower regions of the rear portion of the cylinder32 are cut away as at 35 and 377 to provide the spaced extensions 33.

the body of the operator referred to hereinafter. The extensions 33carry opposed bearings 36 by means of which the cylinder, and thus theentire turret, is mounted upon the trunnions i l for oscillation inelevation.

In the upper region of the shell 39 is an armate slot 38, through whichthe tubular bracket 29 extends, the slot 38 being of sufiicient lengthried by the bracket 28, closes the slot 38. The rear portion of theshell is open as at 30.

Four machine guns :32 are mounted upon the rlindcr 32 and projectthrough the forward excmity of the shell l2.

In the lower region of the shell 02 is a floor iembcr 46 which supportsa cushion 48, on which 1e gunner 50 may kneel, withthe upper porion ofhis body projecting forwardly into the ylinder 32. Thus the gunner'seyes may be poltioned close to the window 44 for maximum taretvisibility, while the vital portions of the guniers body are protectedwithin the armored wall f the cylinder 32. Added armored protection sprovided by the bulkhead 34, the window 44, ll'ld the shell 30.

The gunner is supported in this reclining po- 52, which is mounted on anarm at 56 to the floor member 46. The seat may be folded rearwardly anddownwardly to permit the gunner to enter and leave the turret.

Defined between two spaced bulkheads 59 and 6f, located centrally of theturret, in planes extending transversely of the axis of the cylinder 32,in an annular space in which is accommodated a pair of upper ammunitionmagazines 58 and a pair of lower ammunition magazines 60 (Fig. 4) Theupper regions of the bulkheads 59 and BI are formed with channelledportions 63 and 65 respectively, adapted to accommodate the tubularsupport 2| when the turret is oscillated in elevation. The channelledportion 65 is cut away as at 61 to accommodate the upper turretoperating motor which will be referred to hereinafter. This cutawayspace 61 in the rear bulkhead is extended laterally sufliciently to giveaccess to the upper magazines 64 for loading the same.

The bulkheads 59 and SI are annular in form with the exception that theyare cut away below the cylinder 32 to provide a space 69 to accommodatethe floor member 46 and the gunners legs, as indicated in Fig. 2. InFig. 4 the forward bulkhead 59 is removed to show the operatingmechanism therebehind.

The empty cartridge cases are ejected through chutes B6 and 68respectively which are bent rearwardly and extended through the rearbulkhead 6I so as to either side of the gunner. These spaces may, ifdesired, be suitably inclosed so as to provide receptacles for thecartridges.

For oscillating the turret in elevation, I provide a motor 19 carried byan extension 33 of cylinder 32, and a worm and gear unit 12. This wormand gear unit may embody a casing M formed as part of a bearing 36, aworm (not shown) carried by the shaft of the motor 10 and a worm wheel16 (Fig. 4) rigidly secured to a trunnion M of the yoke I6.

Oscillation of the turret in azimuth is provided for by a motor 18mounted on an extension 80 of the bracket 23. Carried by the motor shaftis a worm 82 which meshes with a worm gear 84 attached to the spindlel8.

Being built into the turret structure, these motor devices lendthemselves readily to being locally controlled by the operator.

The foregoing may be taken as illustrative of one form in which theinvention may be embodied, it being my intention to cover in my claimsthe use of any equivalent arrangement or apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. Aircraft turret construction comprising an outer wall ofparti-spherical shape, a tubular inner wall disposed within said outerwall and adapted to receive the upper portion 01 a gm.

discharge into the spaces on.

4 means for supporting said outer wall for oscillation in the azimuthand in elevation and a window in said outer wall in registering with oneend of said tubular inner wall.

2. Aircraft turret construction comprising an outer wall ofparti-spherical shape, a tubular inner wall disposed within said outerwall and adapted to receive the upper portion of a gunners body, awindow in said outer wall registering with one end of said tubular wall,and a plurality of guns disposed in spaced array about and caried bysaid tubular inner wall, said guns projecting through said outer wall.

3. Aircraft turret construction comprising an outer wall ofparti-spherical shape, a tubular inner wall disposed within saidouterwall and adapted to receive the upper portion of a gunners body, awindow in said outer wall registering with one end of said tubular innerwall, and means upon which the inner end of said tubular inner wall isjournalled for supporting said turret for oscillation in azimuth and inelevation about a horizontal axis.

4. Aircraft turret construction comprising a parti-spherical outer wallof armor plate, a cylindrical inner wall, one end of which is attachedto said outer wall and is provided with a disk of armor glass forming awindow in said outer wall, a plurality of guns carried by saidcylindrical inner wall in spaced array therearound and projectingthrough said outer wall, and means for supporting a gunner in ners body,

a kneeling position with the upper portion of his body extending intothe space within said cylindrical inner wall and toward said window.

5. Turrent construction as defined in Claim 4, including a bulkhead ofarmor plate the periphcry of which is attached to said outer wall andthe inner region of which supports the intermediate portlon of saidcylindrical inner wall.

6. Turret construction as defined in Claim 4, including means on whichthe opposite end of said cylindrical inner wall is journalled forsupporting said turret for oscillation in elevation about a horizontal,transverse axis.

'7. Aircraft turret construction comprising a parti-spherical outerwall, a cylindrical inner wall, an armor ring in which the intermediateportion of said inner wall is supported, the periphery of said ringbeing attached to said outer upon and about said inner wall, magazinesdisposed in the annular space between said inner and outer walls andrearwardly of said 8. Aircraft turret construction comprising, incombination with a fuselage, a yoke including a normally upwardlyprojecting spindle and means, carried by said fuselage, in which saidspindle is mounted for oscillation on a normally vertical axis, a turretsuspended upon said yoke for oscillation in elevation about a normallyhorizontal axis, a plurality of guns mounted so as to transmit theirrecoil to said yoke, bracing means having one end attached to said yokeand arranged to oppose the recoil transmitted to the yoke, and anarcuate track carried by the fuselage, said bracing means having meansfor making rolling abutment with said track for transmitting said recoilthereto while permitting the yoke to oscillate about said vertical axis.

JULIUS G. VILLEPIGUE.

' (References on following page) v 5 8 'RHERENCES CIT Nunlflszer CountryDate 7 3 Fran The following references are of record in the 33 s: me ofthis P 797,795 France Feb.24,1936 v. i TENT 5 800,561 France May 4, 1936mm. STATES PA 8 800,959 France May 11, 1936 Nugzllier Name Date 4817,970 France June 17, 1937 2, 6 ,121 Martin Nov. 2, 1 1 2,358,257Sehwab Sept. 12, 1944 OTHER REFERENCES 2,366,410 Klemperer et a! --Jan.2, 1945 -10 Flight Magazilze, pages 122, "Power-0perated GunTurretsHFe4, 1 4 FOREIGN PATENTS "The Bali Turret," Life Magazine, January 24,Number Country Date 1944, page 66. I

422,009 Great Britain Jan. 3, 1935 The Task Force," Life Magazine, Apr.6, 1942, 541,285 Great Britain Nov. 20. 1941 15 page 68.

